Dauphin in hot seat at city council
At Montreal city hall, councillors are debating a resolution to remove council president Claude Dauphin from his position as speaker.
Mayor Gérald Tremblay called a special council meeting Tuesday seeking Dauphin's suspension, in light of a city comptroller investigation.
Dauphin was investigated by former city comptroller Pierre Reid for alleged contract irregularities in the borough of Lachine.
Reid was reprimanded for his probe, which included reading Dauphin's emails, which may be illegal.
The former comptroller was suspended from his job — even as his findings were handed over to Quebec police.
Dauphin refuses to remove himself from his position as council speaker, and maintains he's done nothing wrong.
"We know Mr. Reid spied on my emails for three years illegally. In the next couple of days, I'll have time to meet with lawyers to see what recourse I have against Reid and his team."
The turmoil at city hall reached Quebec City's legislature Tuesday.
Quebec's municipal affairs minister never ordered Montreal's comptroller to read elected officials' emails, said Laurent Lessard.
"No one authorized this, or asked this," Lessard said during question period at the national assembly.
Lessard said he sent a letter to Montreal officials last month, asking for clarification about the practice of reading private emails.
Montreal police also deny any involvement with the comptroller's investigation, despite the mayor's contention that authorities must have given their OK.
"I fell out of my chair when I heard what Mr. Tremblay said," said Montreal police union president Yves Francoeur. "It wasn't the truth."
Police investigators need legal authorization to search through a person's email, and if they are granted permission, they can't assign a civilian to the task, Francoeur said.
